Fashion Interview: Antonio Ortega

This week sees the launch of the 14th edition of Montreal Fashion Week, an event that attracts 10,000 buyers, designers and other fashion industry reps from throughout the world. Yet for all its cosmopolitan appeal, some of the more interesting shows at Montreal Fashion Week are those that showcase the collections of the city’s native designers. Montreal enjoys a reputation as one of North America’s most stylish towns, so AskMen.com sat down with some of the city’s most stylish people to discuss their collections, current trends in menswear, and some timeless fashion tips.

Antonio Ortega is a Montreal-based haute-couture designer.

About Antonio Ortega

Give us some background on the Antonio Ortega label.

In Paris, I worked with a fashion designer who was well-known in haute couture. So, I learned a lot about haute couture, and I started my first collection in Montreal. I was well received by the media and, little by little, my career started to mature. 2008 marks the first year that I am presenting something in ready-to-wear. My clothes will always showcase my influences as a Mexican who has worked in Paris and, now, in Montreal.

My style is very colorful. It’s a life. You see it and you enjoy it. You see the color, the shapes, the material, the detail, and you see my identity as an artisan who has touched on the tastes of different cultures. My style says: “I’m here. I have this presence.”

I don’t try to impose anything; I like for the client to see their own personality through the clothes. I’m not the type of designer who wants to impose black and white just because I wear black and white all the time.

2008 men’s fashion trends

The only trend I can see is that you can dress however you want; you can be whoever you want to be. Many manufacturers are producing this vision, while there are still some countries that are lacking identity and where everything is the same.

So, the only big trend right now is that you can wear whatever you want as long as you’re comfortable.

Most important men's clothing item

What is one item of men’s clothing that is worth the investment?

A coat — a winter coat and summer one for rain. The basic colors men should wear if they want to look classic are camel, cream, white, and gray. A suit and shirt are important too. The item doesn’t have to be classic, though. It can be a suit that’s very modern (meaning not in black), but because of the details involved in it and the different looks you can create with it, it’s worth buying.

Men’s accessories

What are the most important accessories men should wear?

A scarf and a pocket square give you a modern and classic look because of the print and color. They let you play with personality; they give you style. A tie doesn’t necessarily do that; men think just because they wear a tie they’re well-dressed, but it depends on the tie, it depends on the shirt, it depends on the suit.

Male fashion mistakes

What are some common fashion mistakes that men make?

I’m not sure if they make mistakes, but they definitely show a lack of identity. Take professionals, for example; they want to look alike because they have to look like everyone else at their job. So, I think it’s a lack of identity that’s the biggest problem.